Motorola Talkabouts

P

Prairie Hunter

New member
I've been looking at getting some Talkabouts, since I've been hunting and they were helpful at times expecially when with some younger hunters. The ones everybody used are the 2 mile range. But I'm sure I saw one advertised that was 5 mile range but still FRS. Can anyone help?

Thanks, Scott
 
Scott, FRS radios are the 2 mile radios, GMRS radios are 5 mile radios. You can buy radios that contain both FRS and GMRS channels. This will give you a 5 mile range. A license is required for the FRS/GMRS radios too, while no license is required for the FRS radios. MI VHNTR
 
Also, be aware that the 2/5 mile ranges they advertise are under ideal conditions. You could probably get those ranges on a cool night at a dry lake bed. But when used inside a vehicle, or outdoors through trees and over mountains, not very far. Get the most range you can afford and just hope for the best.

Motorola has some decent units that come in a pair with rechargeable batteries and a charging station for under $100. Plus, regular batteries can be used in place of the rechargeables for extended outings when recharging is not an option.

Don't expect much out of the VOX feature. You generally have to speak fairly loud in order for it to trigger the VOX. Once the VOX triggers you have to repeat the first second or so of what you said as that part wasn't transmitted. Think of the VOX being best used as a long range baby monitor. While the radio will transmit a whisper ok, and the recipient can hear it ok, it isn't enough to get the VOX to key up.
 
I have a pair of the cheapies, still Motorola though. 2 mile range $35 for both at Wallmart. They work great for deer hunting, we are rarely more than 6-800 yards away and have always worked well.
Tony
 
Don't get the Distance DPS. Motorola quit making them and their accessories and it is damn near impossible to get accessories for them. When you find them they are at a premium price. A lot of places still have the Distance DPS in stock but won't give you this tidbit of info. I've had mine for 2 years and really like them. Just a pain to get accessories for this model.
 
Prairie Hunter, I use the Motorola 5600 with almost all of my outdoor activities. I really love the weather stations when backpacking into a campsite. They are absoultely great. I have gotten some good distance between them also. Up to 2.25 miles on a clear cold night. I only have the FRS but GMRS is good. When I am doing anything in the outdoors with two or more partners, My motorolas are going to be with me!
 
Prairie Hunter,
I have 3 Midlands, 75-440 2 watt gmrs radios and they are great! Quality, transmission, and recieve sound beat Motorola frs/gmrs radios hands down. I dont own one but the Icom F-21GM is another gmrs radio in 4 watts. I have read/heard was a great radio also. I will leave a link here to radio dealer I have dealt with more than once, great service.
Good luck............Jeb

http://www.rkleef.com/
 
I ran some interesting tests on the 2 mile vs. 5 mile radios.

I won't bore you all the details but let me just say that the 5 mile radios don't give you twice the distance the 2 mile radios do in everyday use. In fact, in test after test, the increased distance was just 10% more.

Randy
 
I recently got a pair of Midland G-300's from Bass Pro, about $69 or $79. They advertise up to a 10 mile range. Power is 3w high & .5 low. They have the usual 22 channels but also allow 836 'privacy codes' . This allows you to get a little off the main freq & have an uncluttered frequency. They run on 4 AAA or a rechargable battery pack.

I tested them out yesterday. About 2 miles from home I called my wife from the truck to in the house. I was on a freeway overpass & had a pretty good shot to the house. The conversation was very clear. For a guy hunting in the same woods without any hill between users I think they are fine. They also have provisions for a vibrator call alert & some ear speakers, thought the ear speakers are not the best as far as staying in.

I got them for my son to use & also maybe myself. Have you ever waited at the truck an hour for a hunting partner you thought would already be there?

The higher power ones 3w or more should work better but of course use more power.

Someone gave me some $29 ones from wal-mart which I brought back unopened.
 


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